Overcoming Inertia in Conflict with Transformative and Magical Thinking. Free Zoom Webinar, 11 May

Overcoming Inertia in Conflict with Transformative and Magical Thinking (Free Zoom Webinar - Thursday, 11 May at 7.00 – 8.30pm)

Have you noticed that in conflict the more the conflict escalates the more things become stuck and the more parties become intransigent and fixed in their positions about who is right and who is wrong and what the other party needs to do to fix the problem?

The problem with that reasoning is that you can’t fix the problem whilst occupying a fixed position about it!

The more parties occupy fixed positions then the harder it becomes to get any movement, dialogue, constructive engagement about the situation.  For not only do people get more fixed and fixated about being right, but they also dig into that position deeper and deeper.  And the more they dig the hole the harder it is to get out of that fixed position.

What is that saying again – when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!

Well that is all very well and good but simply stopping the digging doesn’t get you out of the hole either!  Trench warfare has a bad history for solving any conflict and usually leads to stalemate and inertia.

The more we stay in that hole the more inertia starts to set in and we begin to feel both sides of the causes of inertia which are intransigence on the one hand and hopelessness on the other i.e. we don’t think anything can be done about it.  This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because if you think it’s a hopeless situation then it has a far better chance of becoming or remaining that.

In physics it is known that to overcome the state of inertia in an object or situation there needs to be an injection of force or energy to get the object out of that state and moving.  And the greater the inertia the more force or energy needed to overcome it and get things moving again. As an example think of festering feuds that can sometimes go on for generations.

So what could that force or energy be in dealing with relationships and in conflict?

In this free Webinar we shall be looking at two of things and seeing how they can help get things moving again.

Transformative thinking – How what we think about a situation creates a reality in and around in and increases or lessens the chances of finding a pathway out from and away the conflict.  All actions begin with a thought and therefore if we think ourselves into a problem, we can certainly think our way out of it.

Magical Thinking – We often say in conflict or what appear to be hopelessly stuck or broken relationships of all kinds that we need a miracle here.  Magical thinking is not about pulling rabbits out of hat although having said that the analogy of something from apparent nothing or surprising and unexpected holds good.  If Archimedes had a Eureka moment whilst in the bath, who is to say we can’t have one too. For by changing the way we think about a situation we can turn the solid inertia of a problem into the liquid of an opportunity for change.  Magic!

All are welcome.

This Webinar forms part of a series on Sustainable Relationships and Resolving Conflict but it is not necessary to have attended any previous Webinars as they are designed as stand-alone events.

Facilitator: Tony Kearney

Tony grew up in New Zealand where he trained as a solicitor. He then worked as a solicitor in London for over 20 years before moving to Ireland in 2006 to further his work around building sustainable relationships into the future. This includes planting a forest on the farm where he now lives and acting as a Mediator in workplace, community, schools, family, and commercial disputes. Tony is also a skilled facilitator and trainer and runs many training and other events and is the author of five books.

To register for this Webinar or find out more email Tony at: tony.kearney6@gmail.com